RED SOX BLAST YANKEES 11–7: Narváez’s Revenge Homer, Mysterious Devers Injury Leave Fenway Buzzing

BOSTON – June 8, 2025 — The crowd at Fenway Park got their money’s worth and then some on Sunday night, as the Boston Red Sox powered past the rival New York Yankees in an electrifying 11–7 victory. Former Yankee Omar Narváez emerged as an unlikely hero, delivering a thunderous three-run homer against his old team, while concern swirled around star slugger Rafael Devers, who was pulled mid-game with what the team later referred to as a “precautionary evaluation.”

The game was a rollercoaster from the outset, filled with booming hits, clutch performances, and undercurrents of drama that left Red Sox fans exhilarated and anxious in equal measure.

Catcher Omar Narváez, who spent part of last season in pinstripes before joining Boston, stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning with two runners on and the game tied at 5–5. With two outs and pressure mounting, Narváez turned on a 96-mph fastball from Yankees reliever Caleb Ferguson and sent it soaring deep into right field.

The ball cleared Pesky’s Pole by a wide margin, landing a few rows deep in the bleachers and giving the Sox an 8–5 lead they would not relinquish. As Narváez rounded the bases, he showed little emotion—but his teammates poured out of the dugout with unrestrained energy.

Narváez, who has battled inconsistency and limited playing time this season, finished the night 2-for-4 with four RBIs and his first home run in a Red Sox uniform. The Fenway faithful gave him a roaring ovation as he trotted back behind the plate in the next inning.

Just as the Red Sox were riding high, a cloud of uncertainty rolled in when Rafael Devers was unexpectedly removed from the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. No collision, awkward swing, or visible injury preceded his exit—only a brief conversation with the trainer in the dugout before he headed down the tunnel.

The cryptic explanation immediately sparked speculation among fans and analysts. Devers, who had already launched a solo homer earlier in the game—his 15th of the season—is widely considered the engine of Boston’s offense. Any prolonged absence would deal a serious blow to a team fighting to stay in the AL East race.

The early innings saw both lineups trading blows in a game that resembled a slugfest more than a chess match. Yankees star Juan Soto opened the scoring with a towering two-run blast off Kutter Crawford in the first inning, but Boston responded quickly, scoring four in the second behind hits from Enmanuel Valdez and Reese McGuire.

Aaron Judge tied the game with a mammoth three-run shot in the fourth, his 18th of the season, but it would ultimately be a footnote in the wake of Boston’s fifth-inning fireworks.

Masataka Yoshida and Jarren Duran also contributed multiple hits, continuing to thrive in their roles at the top of the order. In all, Boston tallied 13 hits, seven of them for extra bases, against a parade of Yankees pitchers who struggled to keep the ball down in the zone.

Though the Red Sox offense provided the fireworks, the bullpen had to work to secure the win. After Narváez’s homer gave Boston a cushion, Josh Winckowski, Justin Slaten, and Kenley Jansen combined for four innings of relief. Jansen, making his first appearance in nearly a week, allowed a run but struck out the side in the ninth to slam the door.

By the final out, Fenway was electric. The Sox had claimed a key win over their hated rivals, improving to 36–30 and drawing within three games of the Yankees in the AL East standings. But the whispers surrounding Devers lingered in the air like the echo of a distant storm.

Fans exiting the stadium were buzzing about Narváez’s revenge shot, but nearly every conversation included the same question: “What’s going on with Raffy?”

The Red Sox will host the Yankees again tomorrow in the second of the three-game set, with young lefty Brandon Walter expected to take the mound. Boston hopes to carry their momentum forward—and get positive news on Devers before first pitch.